Seattle population estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimate Program: 704,352 on July 1, 2016 (Note: best used for for U.S.-wide comparisons.) 2012-2016 5-year American Community Survey (ACS) estimates on demographic characteristics in Seattle

Population: 668,849 (+/- 67)

Population in households: 646,070 (+/- 1,239)

Number of households: 304,157 (+/- 1,955)

Average household size: 2.12 (+/- 1,239)

Average family size: 2.89 (+/- 0.01)

Population in group quarters: 22,779 (+/- 1,225)

Notes: The most up to date 1-year and 5-year ACS estimates about Seattle's residents and households are available on the Census Bureau's FactFinder data portal. Keep in mind that ACS estimates carry margins of error and are intended to provide an overview of characteristics, not precise counts.

Highlights

Seattle is 18th most populous city in the U.S.Seattle has the largest population of cities in King County, the broader Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue Metro Area, and the state of Washington.

Population growth by decade: From 2000 to 2010, Seattle's population grew by 8 percent: slightly slower than in the 1990s, but a healthy rate of growth for a major U.S. city.

Recent population growth: Seattle's population has grown rapidly since 2010, driven by the strength of our local economy and job opportunities.

The state Office of Financial Management (OFM) estimates that Seattle's population was 730,400 as of 2018, which is 20% higher than in 2010. This reflects a significantly faster rate of growth than found in King County as a whole, which grew by 13.4% over the same period.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated Seattle's 2016 population at 704,352. The Census Bureau's 2016 population estimates highlighted Seattle as having the fastest one-year growth of the 50 largest cities in the nation (see accompanying chart); and the second fastest growth since 2010.

Household size: According to 5-year ACS estimates, average household size in Seattle is growing, from 2.05 people per household in the 2007-2011 estimates to 2.12 people per household in 2012-2016 estimates. This represents a reversal of the trend prior to 2010, when average household size had been falling.

Age distribution: 2016 5-year ACS estimates indicate that nearly three-quarters of Seattle residents are adults between 18 and 64 years of age, with an especially high (and growing) concentration of young adults (ages 25 to 34). Estimates indicate that the highest rates of growth since 2010 are for adults aged 65 to 74, reflecting aging of the baby boom population.

Planning estimates: The City's 2035 Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 2016, anticipates the addition of at least 70,000 households during the 20-year planning period, which would place Seattle's population at roughly 800,000 in the year 2035.

County-level forecast: The growth management forecast that OFM produced in 2017 projects that that the county's population will grow from about 2.2 million in 2017 to about 2.7 million in 2040. (As of 2017, about 33 percent of King County's 2.2 million residents lived in Seattle.)

Explore Seattle's demographics at a census tract level and access neighborhood profiles with population and household characteristics for Council Districts and Community Reporting Areas. (Currently shows the 5-Year ACS data from 2009-2013; we anticipate updating with the most recent 5-year ACS data in late 2018 or early 2019.)

Key Data Sources

Two major Census Bureau programs that provide data on housing at a community and neighborhood level are:

The decennial census is done every 10 years to provide counts and basic information about population, households, and housing units. Housing characteristics covered in the census include occupancy and vacancy rates and tenure (owner or renter) for occupied units.

The American Community Survey (ACS) is a continuous survey that produces estimates on a broad set of population, social, economic, and housing characteristics. Housing topics on the ACS extend beyond those on the decennial census and include type of structure (single-family or multifamily), home value, monthly housing costs, and more.

The ACS has replaced the long form that used to be part of the decennial Census. Because the ACS is a sample survey, ACS estimates carry margins of error.

The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program (PEP) provides estimates for the U.S., states, metropolitan statistical areas, counties, and cities. PEP estimates for Seattle are best used for comparisons with geographies outside Washington state.

Find links to related information and resources including the Census Bureau's American Factfinder data portal, population estimates and forecasts OFM and the Puget Sound Regional Council, growth targets in Seattle's Comprehensive Plan, and demographic data from Seattle Public Schools and the Public Health department serving Seattle and King County

Seattle is anticipating at least 70,000 housing units citywide during the current 20-year planning period from 2015 to 2035.

Highlights Based from the Decennial Census

Housing unit counts from the U.S. decennial census: As of 2010, there were 308,516 housing units in Seattle: this is nearly 38,000 (or 14 percent) more housing units than were in Seattle in 2000. The 14 percent increase in housing units between 2000 and 2010 substantially outpaced population growth and household formation within the same decade. The increase was markedly higher than the 9 percent housing growth seen in the 1990s. As King County's largest and densest city, Seattle typically adds housing at a slower pace than the county as a whole. However, Seattle has been adding housing at an accelerating pace each decade since 1960. The biggest jump was between 2000 and 2010 when Seattle's housing stock increased at nearly the same rate as the total housing stock in the county.

Occupied housing units: The 2010 Census found that 283,510 (or 91.9 percent) of the total housing units in Seattle were occupied. The average household size was 2.06 persons.

Tenure (owner- and renter-occupancy): In 2010, a bit more than half of Seattle's occupied housing units (51.9 percent) were rentals. The rest (48.1 percent) were inhabited by their owners. Household sizes tend to be larger in owner-occupied housing than in renter-occupied housing. In 2010 there were 2.31 persons per household in Seattle's owner-occupied units compared to 1.83 persons per household in renter-occupied units. Due to larger household sizes, owner-occupied units still house more than half of Seattle's overall household population.

Trends in homeownership rates: The number of householders who own their homes decreased between 2000 and 2010. Homeownership ramped up in the early to mid part of the decade, but sharp reductions in the wake of the Great Recession more than erased those gains. For the nation as a whole, the decline in the homeownership rate between 2000 and 2010 was a departure from a general trend of rising homeownership since 1940. At a local level, however, the recent decline in homeownership put Seattle back on the path it has been following since 1960 of a small decline each decade in the homeownership rate.

Growth targets in Seattle's Comprehensive Plan: As articulated in the Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan, Seattle is anticipating and planning for at least 70,000 housing units citywide over the 20-year planning period from 2015 to 2035. These estimates are based on the city's share of growth projected for King County. Seattle's urban village strategy guides most of the city's housing and employment growth to urban centers and urban villages.

Citywide Residential Permit Report that shows residential building construction permits for new or demolished units. Completed permits are reported by year the permit was finaled, as well as the permits that are currently issued and under review. We update this report quarterly.

The Comprehensive Plan Urban Center / Village Residential Growth Report includes our progress toward targets for Seattle and for individual urban centers and villages for the current planning period based on residential building construction permits for new or demolished units.

Key Data Sources

Two major Census Bureau programs that provide data on housing at a community and neighborhood level are:

The decennial census is done every 10 years to provide counts and basic information about population, households, and housing units. Housing characteristics covered in the census include occupancy and vacancy rates and tenure (owner or renter) for occupied units.

The American Community Survey is a continuous survey that produces estimates on a broad set of population, social, economic, and housing characteristics. Housing topics on the American Community Survey (ACS) extend beyond those on the decennial census and include type of structure (single-family or multifamily), home value, monthly housing costs, and more.

The ACS has replaced the long form that used to be part of the decennial Census. Because the ACS is a sample survey, ACS estimates carry margins of error.

The Puget Sound Regional CouncilPuget Sound Regional Council provides forecasts and a wealth of data at a range of geographic scales as part of its work to support planning in the region. These data resources include:

A regional forecast that includes households, persons, jobs, and other variables through the year 2040

Read the Seattle Comprehensive Plan to find out about Seattle’s guiding policies for housing and growth management, and see the Housing Appendix (page 57 of this pdf) for the detailed analysis of housing needs that informed these policies

Number of jobs located in Seattle: 567,000, not including construction/resource jobs

Job Growth Planned for in Seattle's Comprehensive Plan:

Anticipated growth in jobs during the 20-year planning period of 2016 to 2035: 115,000

Highlights

Educational attainment: Seattleites as a group are highly educated. Estimates for 2016 from the American Community Survey (ACS) indicate that 63 percent of Seattle residents 25 years and older have a bachelor's degree or higher and 27 percent have a graduate or professional degree.

In the Seattle metro area, 42 percent of people in this age group have at least a bachelor's degree. In the U.S. as a whole, 31 percent have a bachelor's degree or higher, which is less than half the share in Seattle.

Labor force and occupations: Seattle has a high concentration of people in prime working-age groups and a high labor force participation rate. A large share of Seattle's residents work in management, business, science, and arts occupations. In 2016, 60 percent of Seattle's civilian employed population 16 and older worked in this general category of occupations. This compares to 46 percent in the broader metro area and 38 percent in the nation as a whole.

Median incomes: The 2016 American Community Survey (ACS) estimated the Seattle median household income to be about $83,500. This is well above the national median household income, and slightly higher than the median household income for the Seattle metro area. The 2016 ACS estimate for Seattle's median family income is $119,000, a figure markedly higher than median family income in the broader Seattle metro area.

Poverty: The 2016 ACS estimated that 11.5 percent of Seattle residents had incomes below the poverty threshold. This compares to 9.6 percent in the broader metro area, and 14.0 percent in the U.S. as a whole. Poverty rates captured in the 2016 ACS are somewhat lower than those from the 2011 ACS, reflecting the ongoing recovery from the Great Recession and recent economic growth in the region. (The poverty threshold in 2016 for a family of three with one child under 18 was roughly $19,000.)

Jobs in Seattle: The City historically used covered employment to track employment. Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) estimates that that there were 558,023 covered jobs in Seattle workplaces as of March of 2016. Covered jobs are those covered by the Washington state Unemployment Insurance Act and typically comprise about 85 to 90 percent of the total employment in an area.

The chart below shows annual changes in covered employment, including declines due to the two recessions that began in 2001 (when the dot-com bubble burst) and in 2008 (when the Great Recesson began) as well as increases during periods of recovery.

Between 2015 and 2016, the city gained about 22,600 covered jobs. This was sixth straight year that Seattle experienced job growth within the current economic expansion and the largest one-year increase in Seattle recorded since PSRC began tracking covered employment.

Job Growth Planned for in Seattle's Comprehensive Plan: In the Puget Sound Region, jurisdictions adopt growth targets for jobs as well as housing. The City of Seattle is anticipating an additional 115,000 jobs between the beginning of 2016 and the end of 2035.

Key Data Sources

U.S. Census Bureau Data Census Bureau programs that provide data on housing at a community and neighborhood level include:

The Census Bureau operates two major programs that provide data on people and households based on place of residence down to the city level and neighborhood levels:

The decennial census is done every 10 years to count the population and gather basic information about population demographics, households, and housing units. Census topics include age, sex, race, Hispanic ethnicity, household composition, owner / renter status, and group quarters populations.

The American Community Survey is a continuous survey that produces estimates on a broad set of population, social, economic, and housing characteristics. Examples of survey topics include education, labor force participation, incomes, earnings, commutes to work, and the occupations and industries in which residents are employed. The survey also asks about housing values and rents. The American Community Survey has replaced the long form that used to be part of the decennial census.

Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) PSRC provides a variety of economic data, including estimates of employment, and produces forecasts at a wide range of geographic scales as part of their work to support planning in the region.

Population (age 5+) speaking language other than English at home: 21.7% (+/- 0.4 percentage pts.)

Highlights

Largest racial/ethnics groups in Seattle: The 2010 Census found that the largest racial group in Seattle was White (66.3% of the city's population). The next largest group was Asian (13.7%), followed by Black or African American (7.7%). The 2010 Census counted persons of Hispanic/Latino ethnicity (any race) as 6.6% of Seattle's residents. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Multiracial population: Four percent of Seattle residents indicated two or more races on their Census form in 2010. (This was only the second decennial Census that gave people a chance to identify as two or more races.) The 2012-2016 ACS estimates indicate that this proportion has grown to approximately 5.6%.

Fastest growing groups: The racial and ethnic groups that grew most quickly in Seattle from 2000 to 2010 were Asians, multiracial persons, and persons of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. The 2012-2016 ACS estimates suggest that the fastest growing racial group since 2010 is the population identifying as multiracial.

Overall, persons of color make up more than a third of Seattle's population: The 2010 Census estimated that 33.7% of Seattle residents are persons of color. The 2012-2016 ACS estimates 34.3%, suggesting that the share of Seattleites who are persons of color has continued to increase since 2010.

Seattle, King County and U.S. trends in people-of-color share of the population: While people of color have been increasing as a percentage share of the population in Seattle since 2000, the increase in Seattle has occurred at a much slower pace than in King County and the U.S. as a whole. (The accompanying chart shows decennial Census figures from 2000 and 2010.) (Click on image to enlarge.)

Increase in population of color under 18 years of age: The table below drills down to look at population growth in Seattle compared to the remainder of King County between 2000 and 2010, revealing that the number of children of color increased by only 2% in Seattle compared with 64% in the remainder of King County. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Socioeconomic disparities: Recent estimates from sources including the ACS show continued, deep disparities in the social and economic well-being of Seattle residents.

Disparities by race and ethnicity are evident in every major indicator of well-being measured in the ACS: education, income, unemployment rates, homeownership, housing costs burdens, vehicle availability, and others.

In general, the largest disparities in Seattle, as well as in the nation as a whole, are for the Black population and the Hispanic / Latino population compared with the White, non-Hispanic population. Asians and multi-race persons are also doing more poorly than non-Hispanic Whites on some of these indicators.

Disparities between subgroups may be masked in estimates for a broad racial group. For example, among Asians in Seattle, those who are Cambodian, Hmong, Thai, or Vietnamese tend to have lower household income levels and lower education levels than residents who are Asian Indian, Chinese, or Taiwanese.

Maps on Language SpokenThis mapping app provides Census tract-level estimates from the ACS for the shares of population (age 5 and older) who speak the following languages at home: Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, African Languages, Tagalog, Korean, and Mon-Khmer.

Maps are also provided for the overall share of the population who speak a language other than English and those who say they speak English less than very well. (Hint: click on a census tract, to get more detail on languages spoken there.)

Note: ACS estimates can have very large margins of error. Language concentrations on these maps are best viewed as general locations of language communities.

Key Data Sources

U.S. Census Bureau Data Two Census Bureau programs provide the most commonly used sources of demographic data at a community and neighborhood level. Descriptions and links for accessing data are below.

The decennial Census is done every 10 years to count the population and gather basic information about population demographics, households, and housing units. It includes estimates of the number of people by race and Hispanic ethnicity, and provides data showing how basic population and household characteristics (including age, sex, household composition, and owner / renter status) vary by race and ethnicity. (Decennial census data provides counts down to the block level for many topics.)

2010 Census counts of population by race and Hispanic/Latino ethnicity Table DP-1 Profile of General Population for Seattle and King County

The American Community Survey is a continuous, sample-based survey that produces estimates on a broad set of population, social, economic, and housing characteristics. The American Community Survey (ACS) covers language spoken at home, education, employment, income, vehicle availability, monthly housing costs, and more. The ACS provides estimates for the population as a whole, individual race and ethnic groups, and the foreign born. (ACS estimates carry margins of error and should be used carefully.)

This Excel spreadsheetcontains links to these tables for a broader set of geographies (Seattle, King County, the larger metro area and metro division, WA state, and the U.S.).

Special sets of ACS tables provide disaggregated data for detailed race and ethnic groups:‐ Selected Population Tables from the ACS provide the most detailed estimates available for race, ethnic, and ancestry groups. These include statistics on social, economic, housing and demographic characteristics for hundreds of race, tribal, Hispanic origin, and ancestry population groups. Local statistics for many of these groups are also available at the city or metro area level.‐ American Indian and Alaska Native Tables from the ACS are available down to the Metro area level for more detailed tribal populations.

Detailed guidance for accessing disaggregated data for detailed race/ethnic groups - We are creating a guide, and will included a link to it here, with more tips on accessing data for detailed race/ethnic groups from the Census Bureau and other sources. Check back soon or email the City demographer, diana.canzoneri@seattle.gov, for more information.

Percent of the population that lives with ¼ mile of a city-owned open space: 85%

Percent of the city in single-family zoning (excluding parks and rights-of-way): 54%

What Is Being Built in Seattle

Net new housing units added since 2004: 29,330

Net new housing units that have issued permits: 13,976

Square feet of non-residential space built between 1995 and 2005: Over 25 million

How Seattle's Transit Measures Up

Nearly all of Seattle’s population, 97.5%, lives within ¼ mile of a transit stop with some level of service

Ranks 7th of the 25 largest U.S. cities in transit service with a Transit Score of 59 (Walk Score)

Ranks 6th of the 50 largest U.S. cities for walkability with a Walk Score of 74 (Walk Score)

Highlights

Residential construction permits: Seattle is experiencing high volumes of residential permits with historic highs of residential units in the permit pipeline for 2012. View the new residential unit graph.

Land use distribution: Seattle's land area remains mostly single-family in nature, but most residential development capacity, 93.5 percent, is in the multifamily zoning types with 73 percent in designated growth areas. View the existing land use pie chart.

Seattle's Neighborhoods

Seattle is a city of neighborhoods of diverse character and strong identities. City departments and non-City entities define neighborhoods differently based on many factors. Some districts and neighborhoods are informal with varying boundaries and names. Some neighborhoods may overlap and be referred to by different names by community members.

To clarify neighborhood boundaries for the purposes of data reporting and monitoring, we have selected four different neighborhood geographies.

Urban Centers and Villages

Urban Centers and Villages are areas designated in Seattle's Comprehensive Plan to accommodate future population and job growth and help guide city planning policies.

Community Reporting Areas

Community Reporting Areas (CRAs) were established as a standard, consistent, citywide geography for the purposes of reporting U.S. Census related information. There are 53 CRAs composed from one to six census tracts.

Council Districts

There are seven Seattle City Council seats elected in Council Districts 1-7 with another two positions elected "at-large". The other two positions will be elected "at-large" (city-wide) in positions 8 and 9.

PUMAs

A PUMA (public use microdata area) is a census area that comprises at least 100,000 people and is the smallest geography for which annual American Community Survey data is available. There are five PUMAs in Seattle.

A note on geography: For U.S. Census data, the City uses different combinations of census tracts, block groups, and blocks to best approximate the various neighborhoods and sub-areas of Seattle. If a neighborhood boundary splits a block group or tract, that block group or tract is included if 50% or more of its population lives within the neighborhood boundary.

City-Wide Information

Top Requests

The Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) develops policies and plans for an equitable and sustainable future. We partner with neighborhoods, businesses, agencies and others to bring about positive change and coordinate investments for our Seattle communities.